PETALING JAYA, Oct 4 — Over 50 cases of rotavirus and acute gastroenteritis being linked to the region’s largest water park should serve as a wake-up call to ensure high standards of hygiene are maintained in such places.
Medico-Legal Society of Malaysia president Prof Datuk Dr Balwant Singh Gendeh said the large number of cases traced to the Bukit Merah Laketown Resort Water Park was alarming.
“There are multiple questions that arise from this outbreak. What is the source of the water used at the park? Are they using treated water from the grid or drawing their own water?” he asked.
“It is critical to determine if the source of the outbreak is an infected person who visited the park or if these organisms are present in the water supply.”
Dr Balwant said it was critical for the Health Ministry to conduct a thorough investigation and determine the exact source of the outbreak.
“We cannot afford to leave this unanswered as it is a matter of public health. Individuals from several states have been affected and this could be a wider problem,” he said.
He warned taking a “soft” stand would be a huge mistake and the management of the park needed to be held accountable.
“There must be an explanation as to how this happened. Perhaps maintenance at the park’s filters was poor or standards of hygiene were not observed.
“Additionally, the ministry must be uncompromising in testing and monitoring water quality and suitability for recreational activities.”
On Monday, it was reported 19 of the 46 acute gastroenteritis cases were confirmed to be rotavirus infections with an additional seven being reported in Kedah and six in Penang on Sunday.
Most victims had visited the water park last month and are aged between 10 months and 30 years.
Yesterday, three new rotavirus cases were recorded in Kedah, making it a total of 27 cases in the state since September 28.
Kedah Health Department director Datuk Dr Norhizan Ismail said the cases involved children aged between one and six years who visited the resort in Perak.
Rotavirus symptoms are similar to cholera, with pronounced vomiting, diarrhea, fever and abdominal pain.
Malaysian Medical Association president Dr John Chew said the ministry needed to quickly investigate the outbreak.
“We face the threat of various infectious diseases. There must be a rapid response to such incidents,” he said.
“This occurred in a public space and if any wrongdoing was proven, the full force of the law must be brought onto those responsible.”
Dr Chew said the multiple cases being traced to one source indicated lax hygiene standards.
“The ministry must act within its powers as by their own admission, chlorination was not up to par and they merely advised a chlorinator be installed,” he said.
“There must be serious action and remedial steps taken. We cannot have a situation where this becomes a common occurance.”
Dr Chew also urged the public to be more responsible and observe guidelines when visiting such places.
“The ministry has issued statements on what steps need to be taken, on basic hygiene and best practices. The public needs to cooperate.”
The water park is situated near a large 2,833ha freshwater lake and is a popular tourist spot.
The Health Department has recommended the installation of a chlorinator and had closed the park for two weeks.
The resort’s general manager Kamal Hussein told Bernama yesterday the pool at the water park had been drained for the past three days after receiving instructions from the Perak Health Department.
“The department is monitoring the operation of the theme park, including the method of using chlorination to prevent infection,” he said.
